2026 Military Pay Calculator
Select a pay grade and years of service to see 2026 monthly basic pay from the official military pay table.
Last updated: October 2026
Enter completed years of service.
How military basic pay works
Basic pay is the foundation of military compensation. It is set by a single table that applies to every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard all pay the same basic pay for the same grade and years of service. Two things determine your number on the table: your pay grade (E-1 through E-9 for enlisted, W-1 through W-5 for warrant officers, O-1 through O-10 for commissioned officers) and your years of service, which drive longevity raises as you progress.
Basic pay is taxable income. That matters because a large part of military compensation, the housing and food allowances, is generally tax-free, so basic pay alone understates what military service is worth compared with a civilian salary.
How to read the pay table
The official table has one row per pay grade and one column per longevity band: 2 or less, over 2, over 3, over 4, over 6, over 8, and so on up to over 40 years. Find your row, move across to the column matching your years of service, and that cell is your monthly basic pay. Some combinations are blank because they are not authorized: for example, there is no E-9 rate below 10 years of service, and no W-5 rate below 20 years. Senior officer rows flatten at the top because federal law caps their pay at Executive Schedule Level II.
Worked example
Take an E-5 with 6 years of service. The E-5 row of the 2026 table at the 6-year column reads $4,110 per month. Over a year, that is $4,110 x 12 = $49,320 in annual basic pay, before taxes and before any allowances. Two years later, at 8 years of service, the same E-5 moves to $4,300 per month, a longevity raise of $190 per month or $2,280 per year, with no promotion required.
What basic pay does not include
Basic pay is only one piece of the package. On top of it, most service members receive Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), which varies by duty-station ZIP code, grade, and whether you have dependents, and Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS), a flat monthly food allowance. Both are generally tax-free. There are also special and incentive pays for hazardous duty, flight status, medical professionals, and other skills. When you compare a military career with civilian offers, price the whole package, not just the number on this page.
Frequently asked questions
Is military basic pay the same across all branches?
Yes. The Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard all use the same basic pay table. A given grade and years-of-service combination pays identically in every branch.
Is military basic pay taxable?
Yes, basic pay is subject to federal income tax (and usually state tax). Allowances such as BAH and BAS are generally tax-free, which is a meaningful part of total military compensation.
What was the 2026 military pay raise?
Military basic pay rose 3.8% effective January 1, 2026. For example, an E-5 with 6 years of service earns $4,110 per month under the 2026 table.
How much does an E-1 earn in the first four months?
E-1s with less than four months of service earn a slightly lower rate: $2,226 per month in 2026, versus $2,407 once past four months. Select "E-1 (under 4 months)" above for that rate.
Does this calculator include BAH or BAS?
No. This calculator shows basic pay only. BAH varies by location, grade, and dependency status, and BAS is a separate flat allowance. Both are paid on top of basic pay.
When do I move to the next pay column?
Longevity raises apply as your years of service reach each threshold in the table. Enter your completed years of service above and the calculator selects the matching column.
Why are some grade and year combinations blank?
The table does not authorize every combination. For example, E-8 starts at 8 years, E-9 at 10 years, and W-5 at 20 years of service. If you select a combination the table does not authorize, the calculator will tell you.
Is officer pay capped?
Yes. By law, senior officer basic pay cannot exceed Executive Schedule Level II, which is why the top O-9 and O-10 rows flatten at the capped rate instead of continuing to rise.
How often are military pay tables updated?
Pay tables are updated annually, usually effective January 1, based on the raise authorized in the National Defense Authorization Act.
What is "high-3" average pay?
High-3 is the average of your highest 36 months of basic pay. It is the figure both military retirement systems (High-3 and BRS) use to compute your pension. See our BRS vs. High-3 calculator to compare the two systems.